Activative fathering predicts later children's behaviour dysregulation and sociability

This study examined activative fathering observed during father-child interactions in the family home, focusing on the relation between activative fathering at children aged four and children's behaviour dysregulation and sociability at children aged five. One hundred twenty-seven families participated in the study. Activative fathering was associated with later lower child dysregulation during a problem solving task, higher dysregulation during a wait task, and higher sociability in the home. Contrary to expectations, paternal control did not moderate these relations. Results are discussed in relation to father-child activation relationship theory.